It's Happening, People

Oh, It's Happening...

Shipped

I just went to the post office and feel like I practically risked my life to do it.

The house is TRASHED after 4 days of being mostly shut in, toys and snow pants fighting for dominance on the living room rug, fire making mess by the kind-of-doesn't-really-work wood stove, wrapping mess around the tree, baking mess in the kitchen, packing peanuts forming a cushy path between the two...

The last several days have been focused on survival basics like heat and food and not so much on getting ahead on my Christmas list of to dos. I was able to get some of my gift box baking done yesterday but still had some to finish up, as well as packaging, and boxing up today. When I woke up this morning I knew I had to put a serious move on if I was going to get it all done and in the mail with even a remote chance of making it in time for Christmas.

And I did. I got 6 boxes packed and boxed appropriately and juggled into and out of the post office (with rowdy stragglers entail).

First let me refer you to last year's POST. Sadly, due to my time constraints, and sheer exhaustion, I wasn't able to turn out the same level of Christmas box.

This year I used packing peanuts instead of freshly popped popcorn (GASP!).

No music.

No cloved oranges.

In short, this year I was a helluva lot more approachable. So if you wake up everyday wondering how you can live up to my level of awesomeness.. well... this year is for you.

This year I made my Iced Sugar Cookies...


note my all white theme. Lazy or brilliant... you decide (I vote lazy & brilliant). I'm pretending it's an ode to our recent snow storm. The truth is white icing vs multiple shades of icing... is ten times less work.

I made my Gingersnaps...


And instead of Caramel Corn & Dipped Candy Cane Oreos, I made what my mother calls Cake Balls.

Now I can't say "cake balls" without feeling a little "Miss Jackson" if you catch my drift.

So I have renamed them..
"Triple Chocolate Cake Bites"

Here is how you make them (since I know someone will ask): One box cake mix (any flavor) baked as directed in a 9x13 pan. While hot break up into crumbs with two forks. Add a container of prepared icing (any flavor) and mix thoroughly. Chill. Using a spoon and your hands roll Tablespoonfuls of your mixture into balls. Place on cookie sheet and chill. Melt chocolate (any flavor) and dip balls into chocolate to coat. Place back on cookie sheet (sprinkle with toppings while still wet!) and let chocolate set before packaging.
I packaged them a couple of ways. I set each one in a mini muffin liner and placed them in the bottom of egg cartons, or for my brother's brood in this covered peanut tin. While I'm loving the look... I'm not sure anything can top the egg carton for shipping purposes... and seriously... how cute is the half and egg carton?! I got that idea somewhere on the internets but can't remember where. So thanks random crafty person!

FYI that is my wrapping paper for this year (love it) and I got it at (where else?) Target.

Now, I am going to warn you that I found the cake bites to be pretty labor intensive. The dipped cookies were MUCH faster to make. But one pan of cake makes about 80 cake bites so maybe it's worth it. They are very rich and truffle like. I used devil's food cake and dark fudge icing. I coated them in white chocolate, milk chocolate,and dark chocolate. I sprinkled some with sprinkles, some with crushed candy cane, and left some plain. They definitely taste better "the next day" once they have set more. So these are potentially great for gift giving.

The rest of the recipes can be found HERE.

That's all folks!

I'm off to try and take a breath and force the kids to watch Hallmark Channel Christmas movies.

Randomness Of The Day... PLUS... future giveaway information

Last night I had two separate nightmares about being with Baby in an armed robbery. Hands down being in an armed robbery was one of the scariest situations of my real life. It completely altered my perception of my daily safety. And it taught me I'm a runner. As in I'll choose flight. In my 2nd dream I was getting away with Baby in my arms. I still woke up feeling stressed.


This week I made a whopping $150 babysitting. Which sounds and feels impressive until I divide it out by the hour. And then... well... it's less than minimum wage. It also leaves me feeling like all the bone marrow was drained out of my body by the end of the day. I'm watching for LONG days. 9-10 hours. And yesterday I had both extra kids... plus... my own. And with kids ranging from 5 months to 7 years (some of you may know exactly what that is like) I never get a chance to sit down. I'm meeting needs THE WHOLE DAY. And since I haven't worn Baby in a sling in almost 2 years and the little baby goes down in it... my back is killing me. I need to build those particular arm and back muscles that get tweaked while carrying a little one around... and... trying to cut apples, wipe butts, build towers, etc.... because I woke up today and something is pinched and I feel like I can barely breathe.


I need to get back to meal planning and batch cooking. Especially on sitting days when I'm watching kids right up until dinner time I just don't have time to make dinner. That will get easier as the baby gets older... and sometimes he sleeps at the right time and I can still get stuff done on time. But this week several times I wasn't able to get dinner on the table on time and we were eating about an hour later. The problem with that means I then don't have time to workout... and Kid is practically eating and then going to bed. If I could get some freezer meals stocked up I'd be able to pull something together a lot more easily. So this weekend I'm going to focus on finding some good things to cook up and stock the freezer with. If you've got a tried and true big batch recipe that freezes well please send me a link!


This weekend we are also going to work more on eradicating the mold that is in both our basement and garage. Unfortunately that is also where all my workout equipment is... and I haven't been able to workout because of the mold. My eyes immediately start burning and itching when I'm down there. That is another frustrating set back. I'm going to need to make myself do the 30 Day Shred until I can get things cleaned up down there. The problem with that is that I just don't get the same level of stress relief from that as I do from working out on the treadmill.


In other random news I'm starting to think about Christmas (12 weeks away!) and this years gift boxes. I'll be giving away 4 boxes this year... so... get ready. Oreo truffles anyone?! Yeah that's what I thought.


I also just ordered THIS BOOK for myself last week. I found it on Amazon for $3. You may recall that I recommended this book a few years back after my good friend lent me her copy to read. I like this book enough that I'm thinking of including it in the gift boxes this year or doing a separate giveaway. I highly recommend it to all mothers... and the title is a misnomer... it is not a religious book. It is a book about simplifying. And this is the perfect time of year to read it. Before we get all caught up in the stress of holiday time.


That's what I've got for you today. After I have my coffee and my back starts to feel a bit more pliable I need to put away the girls summer clothes and put the huge piles of winter clothes that have been washed and dumped on the couch away. I'd also like to go to Barnes & Noble this weekend and spend a couple of bucks on a mocha and a slice of lemon cake and let the girls listen to the story time. I've decided that I can take $5 a week of my babysitting money and spend it on something frivolous JUST FOR ME. I think that's fair.


I've also decided to give away a $10 Target giftcard (or iTunes, or Gap Options card) to someone whose life is falling apart on October 5th, October 19th, November 2nd, and November 16th (four separate giveaways). I know what it's like to have a shitty ass week and I know what it is like to have so tight a budget that you can't afford a single luxury. I know it's not a lot but it is enough to get yourself a bag of candy and a people magazine, or a pumpkin scented candle, or a tee shirt. And sometimes that is what you need to make your life a little more bearable. I was going to give myself $10 a week for luxuries but then I thought I'd go halfsies with you. For every $5 dollars I give myself I want to be able to give the same to someone else. SO stay tuned for that. I'm not entirely sure how I'll choose the winners... that will probably be the hardest part.

One More Christmas Craft

Kid received a soft fleece blanket with fringe cut on one side when she was Baby's age. She still has it and loves it. It is always in the car on road trips; it's always snuggling on the couch on sick days. I'm not sure why the fringe was only cut onto one side but I will say snuggling up to the non fringe side is a little less annoying.

I thought that maybe Kid would like to make one for Baby for Christmas. She did. She did not want to fringe it on both ends for aesthetics sake like I did. You know how kids are... this blanket had to be a carbon copy for fairness sake.

You will need 1.25 yards of fleece fabric (you might want to go 1.5 in case you need to straighten the cuts as I did)


We had the top and bottom of our blanket at the selvedge ends (top and bottom of fabric bolt). The blanket is 1.25 yards wide. We cut off the selvedge ends (very noticeable in fleece). Then we marked a line 8" up from the bottom end of the blanket and snipped fringe to that line. Then we tied each fringe in a knot. That's it.

This fabric was a designer pattern so it was about $8 total. Of course this is a project that could be done for a little as $4 depending on the fleece (even less if on sale).